Police, protesters clash in St. Louis after ex-cop acquitted of murdering black man

[rooster59]

Police, protesters clash in St. Louis after ex-cop acquitted of murdering black man

By Valerie Volcovici and Kenny Bahr

 

Protesters march in reaction to the not guilty verdict in the murder trial of Jason Stockley, a former St. Louis police officer, charged with the 2011 shooting of Anthony Lamar Smith, who was black, in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S., September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Whitney Curtis/

 

ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets during clashes with protesters in St Louis early on Saturday after a white former policeman was acquitted of murdering a black suspect.

 

A peaceful rally over Friday's not guilty verdict turned violent after police confronted a small group of demonstrators - three years after the shooting of another black suspect in the nearby suburb of Ferguson stirred nationwide anger and debate.

 

Officers fired tear gas as people broke windows at a library and two restaurants and threw bricks and water bottles at officers. Protesters also threw rocks and paint at the home of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, said Acting Police Commissioner Lawrence O'Toole.

 

Nine city officers and a state trooper were injured and at least 23 people were taken into custody, he said.

 

Following the violence, rock band U2 canceled a concert scheduled for Saturday night in St. Louis, citing safety concerns for fans who would have attended.

 

"We have been informed by the St. Louis Police Department that they are not in a position to provide the standard protection for our audience as would be expected for an event of this size," U2 said in a joint statement with concert promoter Live Nation.

 

The verdict that ignited protests on Friday was the acquittal of former city policeman Jason Stockley, 36, who was found not guilty of the first-degree murder in the shooting death of Anthony Lamar Smith, 24, on Dec. 20, 2011.

 

After the ruling, around 600 protesters marched from the courthouse through downtown St. Louis, chanting "No justice, no peace" and "Hey hey! Ho ho! These killer cops have got to go!" Some held "Black Lives Matter" signs.

 

"I’m sad, I’m hurt, I’m mad,” Reverend Clinton Stancil of the Wayman AME Church in St. Louis said by telephone. “We haven’t made any progress since Ferguson, that’s clear. Cops can still kill us with impunity."

 

"NO PROGRESS SINCE FERGUSON"

 

Ferguson became the focal point of a national debate on race relations after white officer Darren Wilson shot dead black teenager Michael Brown on Aug. 9, 2014. Protests and clashes broke out after a grand jury cleared the officer, giving rise to the Black Lives Matter movement.

 

After Friday's verdict, one group of demonstrators tried to climb onto Interstate 40 but was blocked by police. Another group blocked an intersection by sitting down in the street for six minutes of silence.

 

After most protesters drifted away, a smaller group of people police described as "agitators" lingered on the streets in an upscale neighborhood near the mayor's house. The group taunted officers who arrived in riot gear by the busload.

 

"Reports of bricks thrown at police. That's not protest. That's a crime. We stand behind our officers. This violence won't be tolerated," Missouri Governor Eric Greitens said on Twitter.

 

Smith was shot five times in his car after trying to flee Stockley and his partner, following an alleged drug deal, authorities said.

 

Prosecutors said that during the pursuit, Stockley could be heard saying on an internal police car video he was going to kill Smith.

 

At Stockley's direction, his partner, who was driving, slammed the police cruiser into Smith's vehicle and they came to a stop. Stockley then approached Smith's car and opened fire with his service weapon, court documents said.

 

The former policeman believed Smith was armed, defense attorneys said, and a gun was found in the car. But prosecutors argued Stockley planted the weapon and that the gun had only Stockley's DNA on it.

 

Stockley's attorney, Neil Bruntrager, said his client was relieved at the verdict. “It’s been a long road for him,” Bruntrager said.

 

St. Louis prosecutor Kimberly Gardner called on protesters to avoid violence.

 

“I understand the verdict has created anger and frustration for many in our community," she told reporters at the courthouse.

 

Stockley waived his right to a jury trial, allowing the judge to decide. He left the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department in 2013 and was arrested last year.

 

Smith's family settled a wrongful death lawsuit against the city for $900,000 in 2013, according to Al Watkins, an attorney for Smith's fiancée, Christina Wilson.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-09-17

[tomwct]

There are reports that thugs were bused in from Chicago. if so, it was probably George Soros Group, Black Lives (don't) Matter Group and/or Socialist Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP). Very sad for America. Same thing happened to the Ferguson Killing. Cop was 100% correct in killing the 18 year old Thug.

Edited September 17, 2017 by tomwct

[iReason]

15 minutes ago, tomwct said:

There are reports that thugs were bused in from Chicago. if so, it was probably George Soros Group, Black Lives (don't)

Matter Group and/or Socialist Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP).

 

Same thing happened to the Ferguson Killing. Cop was 100% correct in killing the 18 year old Thug.

 

Just making stuff up.

And shamelessly, weakly attempting to state it as fact.

 

"Same thing happened to the Ferguson Killing. Cop was 100% correct in killing the 18 year old Thug."

 

"In the wake of the shooting, the police released security footage of Brown visiting Ferguson Market and Liquor, where he appeared to steal a bag of cigarillos, triggering the call to 911 that led to the police stop." 

 

"Challenging that narrative, Pollock released another video from the security camera, shot at 1:13 a.m. on Aug. 9 in which Brown makes an earlier visit to the same market, where, according to Pollock’s analysis, he traded a small bag of marijuana for the cigarillos, which he then left at the store, returning later in the day to pick them up."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ferguson-doc-director-michael-brown-shooting-evidence-proves-a-murder-986589

 

Edited September 17, 2017 by iReason

[stevenl]

31 minutes ago, tomwct said:

There are reports that thugs were bused in from Chicago. if so, it was probably George Soros Group, Black Lives (don't) Matter Group and/or Socialist Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP). Very sad for America. Same thing happened to the Ferguson Killing. Cop was 100% correct in killing the 18 year old Thug.

Ooh, that nasty George Soros again.

[LawrenceN]

3 hours ago, tomwct said:

There are reports that thugs were bused in from Chicago. if so, it was probably George Soros Group, Black Lives (don't) Matter Group and/or Socialist Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP). Very sad for America. Same thing happened to the Ferguson Killing. Cop was 100% correct in killing the 18 year old Thug.

Ferguson is my hometown. The violence there affected my family and close friends. That said, Soros had nothing to do with it, and you look like a fool trotting out that worn-out nonsense. What a sheep!

[Samui Bodoh]

3 hours ago, tomwct said:

There are reports that thugs were bused in from Chicago. if so, it was probably George Soros Group, Black Lives (don't) Matter Group and/or Socialist Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP). Very sad for America. Same thing happened to the Ferguson Killing. Cop was 100% correct in killing the 18 year old Thug.

 

"There are reports..."

 

Those are the weird voices in your head; don't listen to them! It is the ALIENS trying to control your mind! Get your tinfoil hat and everything will be okay.

 

On a more serious note...

 

I am supportive of the police, and even more so as I get older. It is truly a thankless job and I am very appreciative of the people who choose to do it.

 

That said, it is deeply troubling reading of all the black men being shot by white cops. In a stressful environment, especially in the US where there are so many guns, there are going to be accidents and shootings that should not have occurred. I wish there weren't, but it is inevitable.

 

However, the number of black men shot by white cops seems to be much too high. In the last few years, I have read stories constantly about it, and I suspect that this kind of story has been around for a long time. I think that the reason that we are getting so many stories now is because of Social Media and instant communications; before they didn't get attention outside of a small area and/or were kept quiet.

 

I don't have an answer, but I do know that the first step is to recognize that there is a problem. And there is a problem.

 

 

Edited September 17, 2017 by Samui Bodoh

[halloween]

If as many young black males were killed by police as by young black males, there would real reason for outcry. From 15 - 25, 50% of the deaths of black males is homicide, and guess who is killing them? 

https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/lcod/men/2011/LCODBlackmales2011.pdf

 

If you were a police officer that deal with someone from this group, would you have your hand on your gun?

 

BTW 15% of YBM deaths under the age of 5 is homicide - bloody charming.

[jesimps]

4 hours ago, halloween said:

If as many young black males were killed by police as by young black males, there would real reason for outcry. From 15 - 25, 50% of the deaths of black males is homicide, and guess who is killing them? 

https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/lcod/men/2011/LCODBlackmales2011.pdf

 

If you were a police officer that deal with someone from this group, would you have your hand on your gun?

 

BTW 15% of YBM deaths under the age of 5 is homicide - bloody charming.

Agree with everything in your post. I can't be bothered to look it up, but I bet the ratio of black to white violent crime is similar to that of b to w shot by the police. 

Why is a black shot by police automatically assumed to be innocent but a white isn't? To me, this assumption in itself is racism.

I don't envy the police their job in the US.

 

[stevenl]

47 minutes ago, jesimps said:

Agree with everything in your post. I can't be bothered to look it up, but I bet the ratio of black to white violent crime is similar to that of b to w shot by the police. 

Why is a black shot by police automatically assumed to be innocent but a white isn't? To me, this assumption in itself is racism.

I don't envy the police their job in the US.

 

Not true. Black shot by police is not presumed innocent and white presumed guilty.

[phantomfiddler]

The last 2 years I spent living in America was spent in Oakland, Ca. During the last  2 months there, 11 (eleven) people were murdered within 100 yards of my apartment, ALL by young black persons who had no respect for anything or anyone ! Black lives matter ? Some do, but an awful lot don,t !

Edited September 17, 2017 by phantomfiddler

[pegman]

16 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

That said, it is deeply troubling reading of all the black men being shot by white cops. In a stressful environment, especially in the US where there are so many guns, there are going to be accidents and shootings that should not have occurred. I wish there weren't, but it is inevitable.

 

I don't have an answer, but I do know that the first step is to recognize that there is a problem. And there is a problem.

 

 

It's the way guns are controled. Seems everyone there has a hair trigger. Cops necessarily think they are under threat. My city has the same  population as Detroit and Washington proper, about 700k. The last cop killed by gun fire was 1969. The last cop killed was 1970. It is 60  miles from the USA and we have plenty of guns but walk around with a hand gun you will be locked up. That country needs to get its gun culture under control. 

[Ron19]

A reported post has been removed.